White Collar Defense and Investigations

Patterson Belknap is pleased to announce that six of our practice areas and eleven of our partners and counsel received recognition in the newly released Chambers USA - America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2013.

Chambers rankings are based on extensive research and interviews with peers and clients around the country. The qualities assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.

The following firm practices were recognized:

• Advertising: Litigation – National
• Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation - New York
• Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation - New York
• Litigation: Securities: Institutional Plaintiffs - New York
• Media & Entertainment: Entertainment Litigation - New York
• Real Estate: Mainly Dirt - New York

In addition, the following partners and counsel were recognized:

• Gregory L. Diskant in Intellectual Property: Patent - New York
• Erik Haas in Litigation: General Commercial - New York
• Andrew L. Herz in Real Estate - New York
• Jeffrey I.D. Lewis in Intellectual Property: Patent - New York
• Robert P. LoBue in Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation - New York
• Geoffrey Potter in Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation - New York
• Daniel S. Ruzumna in Litigation: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations - New York
• Robert M. Safron in Real Estate - New York
• Saul B. Shapiro in Media & Entertainment: Copyright & Contract Disputes - New York
• John D. Winter in Products Liability & Mass Torts - National
• Steven A. Zalesin in Advertising: Litigation – National

Comments regarding the firm from the Chambers 2013 guide include:

ADVERTISING: LITIGATION – NATIONWIDE

THE FIRM: This firm's advertising group handles noteworthy cases on behalf of some of the most prominent names in this space. It has built a strong reputation for its expertise in Lanham Act false advertising litigation, and is acknowledged as a seasoned regular before the NAD. The firm has acted on an increasing number of lawsuits regarding the labeling of products over the past year. In highlights, it successfully represented Coca-Cola in a label claim brought by POM Wonderful concerning the name and labeling of one of its juice products.

Client Service: "They can quickly analyze advertising issues and give practical advice. Excellent responsiveness - they make a point of becoming familiar with our business, which I find very impressive."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Department head Steven Zalesin is a "terrific litigator" with significant trial experience. He focuses on false advertising litigation, and acted for Coca-Cola on the abovementioned labeling dispute.

PRODUCT LIABILITY & MASS TORTS – NATIONWIDE

John Winter of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP focuses his well-regarded practice on pharmaceutical cases. He is praised for his "very good judgment" and for being "always accessible and very responsive" to his clients. Recent highlights include representing Biomet in multidistrict litigation concerning metal-on-metal hip implants.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: PATENT, TRADEMARK & COPYRIGHT – NEW YORK

THE FIRM: This New York City firm has a well-balanced IP department and is a leader in the law concerning patents and nonutility rights, such as copyright, trademarks and trade secrets. On the patent side, its main areas of focus are medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Central to the firm's ethos is its emphasis on the importance of trying cases in court, or at least being prepared to take matters to trial if need be. Regarding nonutility rights, trademark enforcement and anticounterfeiting measures are particular strengths of the team.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Gregory Diskant is a senior patent litigator, and one of the most effective resources the firm has to offer. He has an "understated" manner but also a "definite edge to him in the courtroom," and he "knows how to use his smarts to get the result needed," according to sources.

Robert LoBue handles copyright and trademark disputes, typically acting on the proprietary side, often for clients in media and entertainment. Much of his work focuses on the protection of financial data and published content. He heads the copyrights and trademarks litigation practice.

Jeffrey Lewis is a seasoned patent litigator whose recent highlights include representing Endo Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the drug frovatriptan, which is prescribed to treat migraines, in an action against Mylan Pharmaceuticals. The latter is seeking FDA approval for the generic version of the drug.

The "pleasant" yet "tenacious" Geoffrey Potter is one of the firm's most distinguished experts on trademark enforcement and anticounterfeiting. He recently led a team in a bid to prevent the importation and distribution of counterfeit versions of client LifeScan's OneTouch Ultra blood glucose test strips.

LITIGATION: GENERAL COMMERCIAL, WHITE-COLLAR CRIME & GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS, SECURITIES: INSTITUTIONAL PLAINTIFFS – NEW YORK

THE FIRM: Patterson Belknap is rapidly gaining in prominence in the New York litigation market, and is highly regarded for its experience in representing clients across a wide range of areas. It is particularly highlighted for its recent high-profile work in representing monoline insurers in plaintiff-side RMBS litigation against financial institutions. The team is also increasingly recognized for its expertise in white-collar criminal defense matters.

Sources say: "They are very agile in terms of being able to assemble the proper team to look at an issue or problem from a number of different perspectives in order to arrive at the right result." "The caliber of people at both partner and associate level is exceptional."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Daniel Ruzumna heads the firm's white-collar criminal defense group and earns praise for his ability to handle both criminal and civil disputes. His recent highlights include acting for the Alavi Foundation and 650 Fifth Avenue Company on a civil forfeiture started by the DOJ, as well as related criminal investigations.

Erik Haas enters the rankings having earned strong praise for his "good courtroom manner and terrific client service." He is "effective across the board" in a range of securities and commercial litigation. His recent work includes representing the Johnson & Johnson Board of Directors in a shareholder derivative case.

MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT: ENTERTAINMENT LITIGATION – NEW YORK
THE FIRM: The media and entertainment department at Patterson Belknap continues to field a strong team of litigators with a depth of experience in this space. The team has been active in a broad array of areas, including copyright infringement, regulatory and right of publicity. The group recently acted for McGraw-Hill in important corporate espionage litigation regarding data security.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Saul Shapiro leads the team in the corporate espionage case for McGraw-Hill. He is head of the firm's media and entertainment practice, and focuses on contract and general commercial litigation within the media arena.

REAL ESTATE: MAINLY DIRT – NEW YORK

THE FIRM: This group is particularly well known for handling top-notch leasing matters on behalf of both landlords and tenants. In one standout deal, the group represented WTC Tower 1 in connection with a lessee's decision to rent a further three office floors at the site, in addition to an already-leased 1 million sq. ft. The firm also acts for Morrison & Foerster, Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Durst Organization.

Sources say: "A terrific firm."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: The "terrific" Andrew Herz has "developed a great reputation for himself" in the New York market, and contemporaries state that they would refer leasing matters to him "without a shadow of a doubt." He represented a single-purpose entity controlled by AEW Capital Management in connection with the $50 million lease of four floors of 250 Park Avenue to Pernod Ricard.

Robert Safron offers more than 40 years of experience in the area of commercial real estate. He recently advised a party owned and controlled by Durst Organization on a new lease of 360,000 sq. ft. at 114 West 47th Street.